Fresh Bride

Expressions of Love.

Have you ever been at a wedding where the officiant invited all the married people to reaffirm their love during the couple's ceremony?  It's a well-intentioned concept, but it can make many of the guests feel uncomfortable and left out -- gay, single, children, widowed, grandma... Affirming love is not the exclusive domain of married people.

A more inclusive variation on the theme would be to invite everyone to "close your eyes and take a moment in silence to consider a way in which you can commit, or re-commit, to expressing love in your life." 

Be sure to face your guests when the officiant asks them to do this; you'll want to see them beam!  And the subject makes a great ice breaker at party time.

Preserve your bouquet AND your vows!

Preserve your bouquet in a beautiful shadow box and include a copy of your wedding vows too! It's nice to save the flowers, but it's the vows that are going to get you through the marriage.  This is a great way to keep them on display and a part of your everyday life.  Here's a company that can do it beautifully for you:  click here

Valentine's Day Top Ten List

Valentine's Day is a great excuse to do some wedding ceremony preparation.  Make a list of the "Top Ten Things I Love About My Partner."  Write it down.  Wrap it up.  Deliver it with a kiss.  And then give it to your wedding officiant to include in your ceremony!

Photo & Vow Gift Book.

Publish your wedding photos in a book and give one to your parents and each person in your wedding party as a "thank you" gift.  (Make sure you include at least one good photo of them your selections.)  For an added touch, begin the book with a reprint of your vows and hand-write a personal thank you note at the bottom of that page. 

"Lulu" is an on-line, self-publishing site you can use:  click here

Afterthoughts.

AFTERTHOUGHTS is a new category on Fresh Bride.  Here, you will find creative ways to keep the spirit of your ceremony alive after the wedding day is over.  Starts tomorrow!

Are you wedded to life?

Are you wedded to life?  What do you most love about life that keeps you wedded to it -- on the best of days and on your worst days?  Your answer can help you write your vows. 

- Write out a list of the ways in which you are wedded to life -- the things that motivate, excite and challenge you -- and then read your list to your partner. 

Now, if you ask your partner if he/she is willing to support you in bringing your list to life, the answer will probably be "yes."  Generally, if couples are getting married, they are comfortable professing their love and support for each other.  But the conscious couple will delve into the question of how exactly are you going to demonstrate your love, day in and day out?

- One means of getting to the answer is to tell your partner what you know already about how you like to be nurtured.  And then invite your partner to see if he or she can think of additional ways to support you in living your life fully.  Make a list of the results to include in your vows. 

Now when you promise to love your partner forever, you can substantiate that promise with the many ways in which you aim to do that.  And with your vows, you'll create stronger building blocks for marriage.

Peronsalizing Ring Holders.

Give your rings the personal touch they deserve! One couple I know met during travels in India.  When he returned to his hometown of Milan, Italy, and she returned to California, they resumed contact through email which led to trips to visit each other and eventually marriage.  So for their wedding ceremony, they decided to take an old laptop computer and cut out the center keys.  In the space created, a vibrant piece of fabric was laid in for the wedding rings.  The ring bearer carried the laptop to the bride and groom just before they said their vows and ceremoniously opened it to reveal the sparkling wedding bands. 

Instead of the traditional ring pillow, consider a personal alternative limited only by your imagination:

- decoupage a treasure box with photocopies of a  love letter from your fiance

- tie your rings with ribbon to a beautiful stone or piece of tumbled glass you found on a beach walk together

- make a cut out in the center of your favorite book of poetry

- use that fabulous bird's nest your kitty found in the backyard

- put your rings in an exquisite, heirloom evening bag (a good way to honor the grandma's memory without having to say a word)

- use a small, artsy, blown-glass bowl that you can later fill with candy kisses and keep out on the coffee table